Don’t really care about antlers

[KurtR]

Follow up question: is "mature" or "old age-class" just a euphemism for "a buck with big antlers"? Let's say you have a (contrived) hypothetical scenario, where you somehow have the option to hunt either a 7 year-old buck with above-average antlers, but perhaps age is getting to him, or a 4 year-old buck that is just a genetic freak of nature. Which do you pick?

Still depends on what i am feeling that day but most i will go with freak of nature. There were bigger deer around but this one caught my eye with the big ol brow tines.

 

[WCB]

Follow up question: is "mature" or "old age-class" just a euphemism for "a buck with big antlers"? Let's say you have a (contrived) hypothetical scenario, where you somehow have the option to hunt either a 7 year-old buck with above-average antlers, but perhaps age is getting to him, or a 4 year-old buck that is just a genetic freak of nature. Which do you pick?

Depends...I like to shoot mature animals semi regardless of antler size. But if two bucks like in your scenario were side by side...lets say a 7year old 170" mule deer and a 4 year old 200" mule deer...I'm killing the 4 year old..unless maybe the older deer has drop tines or something cool then who knows.

When tree stand whitetail hunting shows were all the craze 10 years ago or so..they would pass 160 or 170 young deer to "let it grow" and kill a 160 or 170 old deer later that season so pretty even type trade. My question was always if a 4 year old world record buck walked under one of these guys what would they do...not shoot it because it was only a 4 year old...probably not.

 

[pk_]

I think when you first start out, you simply cannot appreciate a ‘special’ animal for how rare it truly may be (in most situations).

after a few decades in the woods, the rare times you encounter such an animal it will likely mean a bit more to you, whether you consider yourself a trophy hunter or not...

 

[i count eye guards]

The more you hunt, the more animals you see. At some point, punching your tag as quickly as possible isn't fun.

For me, I like finding a specific animal, and putting together a plan to get it. Executing that plan is the fun part for me.

 

[bigmoose]

I agree. I started out hunting mule deer at a early age and figured them out quickly. By the time I was 26 I'd killed over a dozen bucks or more. Nothing big. We (my family) hunted California and Montana most years and I had no trouble filling my deer tag. The big change for me was when I killed a huge buck in Montana at age 26. I had no idea they got that big. From then on I concentrated on older, bigger bucks and I started passing up bucks that before then I would have shot.
Living in California, I would shoot the first legal buck I saw and get him in the freezer so I could be picky out of state.
I only feel that way about mule deer. Any bull (legal) is still a good bull though I don't hunt elk much anymore.

 

[Reburn]

I would much prefer to shoot the 7 year old with antlers that are in decrease to the 4 year old freak. I would hope the 4 year old freak manages to get 40 does bred so he can pass his genetics around. I'm also more likely to shoot the 3 or 4 yr old cull.

 

[Kevin Dill]

We need a scoring system based on length and circumference of each backstrap, weight of each inner tenderloin......take it from there.....

 

[jmez]

I like big antlers, who doesn't? The antler size doesn't dictate what I shoot. I'm not a trophy hunter.

 

[Ross]

can’t relate to this one I’ve eaten a lot tags recently due to antlers not being big enoughBoth elk and deer

 

[Oregon]

I’m 50 years old. I’ve killed some dandy elk. Roosevelt’s and Rockies.
2 years ago, I killed a spike bull, my first ever. I was in a knee brace that only had 20 degrees of movement. I realized I couldn’t be picky.
I shit you not, I will shoot over the back of a 6 point to kill a spike from now on. Best wild game meat I’ve ever had. No joke!
Deer, I’ll hold out as long as possible for a mature one. Deer are my burger supply.

 

[Oregon]

Too add... I killed the spike in 2018, and a 6pt in 2019.
I cook dinner most nights. I ask wife if she wants elk for dinner, her question is always “which elk?”
She also couldn’t believe the difference in taste.
But but but....antlers give you street cred. Ha

 

[BuzzH]

I hunt for my reasons, you hunt for yours. I wont, and don't, feel the need to justify to anyone when I decide to kill an animal.

Hunting is a personal thing and in particular the finality of your decisions...there is no catch and release.

 

[rob86jeep]

I figure you'll hear from 3 types of people here.
1 - People that just hunt for the meat/experience and don't care about antler size.
1.1 - Edited to add people that just hunt for the meat/experience but will shoot the bigger of two animals if presented with a shot at a similar time.
2 - People who are after the biggest trophy they can find.
3 - People who "claim" they're after old/mature animals (but really just want a big rack).

Just to clarify/add, there's nothing wrong with any of them.

 

[Werty]

When it comes down to the final moment, everyone shoots the bigger antlered animal.

 

[Chordeiles]

I’m gonna steal a term that hikers use all of the time.(Hike Your Own Hike)

Hunt Your Own Hunt

 

[Redarrow]

For me it depends on the situation. I will kill the first legal bull i see with my bow since I haven’t killed an elk with my bow yet but during rifle season i will pass up bulls. I love hunting elk too much to end it the first week of Rifle season, and honestly it would be very easy most years and then I’m stuck hunting deer

 

[Ntuttle15]

I see where you're coming from. I historically have always wanted to shoot big bucks etc. But, ultimately it's always for the meat, so it doesn't matter if they do or don't have big antlers. However, I do understand the obsession with the process of finding the bigger, more mature deer and trying to harvest them, as they are often the king of the hill as they say. I am excited to get more involved in that in the future.

 

[RichP]

This past September I was hunting the special regulation area of SE Pa. (doe’s only). I had 4 come in. One huge on and three smaller ones. I took the big one. This doe is the toughest venison I have ever had.

 

[Kevin Dill]

I like good meat. I like big antlers. I'm calling it a win-win.

 

[cnelk]

'A hunt based only on trophies taken falls short of what the ultimate goal should be"

Fred Bear